


shake your foundations

by zinthos



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Domestic Fluff, M/M, No one dies/everyone lives, adoption au, background Gladnis - Freeform, domestic life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-11-12 18:58:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11168067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zinthos/pseuds/zinthos
Summary: Prompto’s never taken care of a kid before and he knows for a fact Noctis hasn't either. But they have a dog! And they keep him clean, take care of him and stuff! A dog's like a child, almost, right?Right?How hard can this possibly be?





	1. an accidental baby acquisition without the accidental part

**Author's Note:**

> yes hello it is i with a new story *throws confetti* this is written for @elactobuddy on twitter bc they wanted a fic like this and i love their promptis art so much so _how could i not_?!
> 
> i _swear_ im working on 'a savage garden'. it's nearly 4k and nowhere near done *sobs* enjoy this in the meanwhile, shoutout to @brosura for helping a girl out! *jazz hands*

The front door opens and Prompto pauses from leaning in to take a bite of his slice of pizza, blinking his violet-blue eyes and looking up.

Noctis is looking at him, mildly amused but more exhausted than he usually is when he comes back from work at his father’s offices. He kicks off his dress shoes, shrugs off his nice wool jacket and makes his way towards their small dinner table, head thrown back, blindly disposing of his jacket on the couch.

“I didn’t wait for you,” Prompto says in greeting. “You were taking too long.” 

“How many slices have you had?”

“Two.” 

Noctis looks at him, then down at the opened pizza box at the center of the table. “There’s three pieces missing here, man.”

“Yeah, I let Umbra have one because he deserves one.” Prompto stares at him, almost daring him to argue the logic but it’s not like Noctis will. They spoil the dog more than they spoil themselves. “Why are you late anyway? Meeting?”

At the reminder, Noctis groans and throws his head back again, pressing his lips together. He stays like that for a moment and Prompto watches him, curling a string of cheese around his finger. After a second, Noct leans forward and takes a generous bite of pizza, looking around the apartment, sparing Prompto a glance before returning his observations. 

“What, is your dad retiring and handing you the reigns?” Prompto laughs a bit, nose wrinkled and eyes crinkled at the corners.

“That’s not funny,” Noctis whines around a mouthful of pizza.

Prompto further wrinkles his nose.

Rolling his eyes, Noct shakes his head, taking Prompto’s opened can of diet cola and only mildly grimacing at the diet part before taking a swig out of it. “No, it wasn’t a meeting with the rest of the business.”

“Oh yeah?” Prompto raises an eyebrow. 

Noct works at his dad’s business corporation; highly successful for generations now and many on the board would like for Noctis to take over, whenever Regis decides to retire but Noctis doesn’t want the responsibility and Regis just wants Noctis to do whatever _he_ enjoys.

“Yeah.” Noct takes another bite of pizza before continuing, “I went to a nearby bar with Gladio and Ignis. They wanted to talk about something with me.”

Prompto hums in acknowledgement, taking his can of diet cola back to take a drink. 

“Y-yeah… like…. You know how my dad’s business is big and all and there’s locations everywhere and stuff? Well, Ignis has been promoted and is being transferred to Altissia and… Uh… Listen… Uh…” Noctis picks at his pizza, pinching at the cheese until he lifts it all up from the bread.

He licks at his lower lip, looking up at Prompto for a second before looking back down at the mess he’s making in his hands. “Prompto….”

“Dude, you’re freaking me out,” Prompto cuts him off, laughing nervously.

“How do you feel about us…. Y-you know… getting a kid?”

Prompto pauses for a long, long moment, his eyes glued on Noctis and his freckled face blank of any emotion. His blond hair’s still windswept despite them being indoors, messy and out of the usually careful way he tends to spike it. He looks ridiculous, thin lips half-parted and pizza sauce smeared at the corner of his mouth.

Then, after that long, long moment passes, he shrugs a shoulder. “I mean… Okay…?”

Noctis perks up, squeezing the pizza in his grip and wrinkling his nose at the feeling, like he’s remembered he had it in his hand until that very moment. “For real? You’re okay with that? Because that’s what Gladio and Ignis wanted to talk to me about and I know how you feel about adopted kids and—" 

“Noct,” Prompto laughs, reaching over to playfully punch him. “Relax.”

“I said yeah. Like, you could have said no right now but we’d still be getting a kid.”

Prompto laughs again, lifting a hand up to scratch at his eyebrow. “I’m not even surprised? I don’t know how I put up with you. We should break up.”

Noctis chokes, but Prompto’s laugh eases down his worry. So his dumb, impulsive boyfriend got them a huge responsibility in the form of a baby! They’ve known each other since high school and Prompto can spend hours talking about all the shit Noctis has gotten them into. He’s kind of grown immune to it or, at the very least, has stopped reacting in what anyone else would deem appropriate.

“How long are we going to have a child for?” he asks, handing Noctis a napkin to clean his hand.

“A couple of… years…?”

Prompto blinks, letting the information sink before nodding slowly.

 

* * *

 

So for the rest of the week Prompto prepares.

The very first thing he does is stock up the kitchen. He thinks he goes a little overboard but it doesn’t matter because they are now going to have a little human in their house. He buys something for every section of the food group. He buys those gross smashed baby food that come in jars and for a moment he considers buying those powder baby formulas but he has absolutely no clue how those work so he buys chocolate and vanilla _and_ strawberry milk too. And to balance that: he buys _apple juice_.

He buys cookies and crackers and cereal. He buys meat he doesn’t know how to season but will have to look up. He buys a sack of rice. He buys vegetable that Noctis won’t eat and that’s just for the _kitchen._

After grocery shopping, he goes to the mall and buys some new bed sheets for the bed in the guest room. He buys new pillows too because he can’t remember when they last changed the current ones. And then he pauses because won’t a baby have to sleep in _crib_?

That thought flusters him.

Like, okay! He and Noct have been together, since, like junior year in high school. And as solid as they are they’ve had their ups and down, though, no one tends to believe that. But, like… a baby crib??? Getting delivered to their apartment?

It’s kind of a mind-blowing and knee-weakening idea.

No.

Prompto shakes his head.

If anything, if the guest room doesn’t work, the little human can sleep with them until they can figure it out.

Wow!

Another flustering thought!

Prompto pays and scurries to the car, bumping up the volume if only to drown his dumb thoughts.

This goes on all week, running to the mall and back home. Buying sippy-cups and other babyish things. 

He doesn’t even realize when the day arrives until he’s looking up from an email on his laptop as Noctis knocks on the front door before opening it. Umbra jumps off the couch and runs towards him, fluffy tail waggling and nails tapping against the floorboards.

“Relax, boy,” Prompto calls out, imagining Noct walking in with a car-seat, holding a baby. He stands up and walks towards the door, pausing when Noctis pushes it and Prompto sees that he’s _not_ holding a car-seat but there’s some luggage with him.

Prompto blinks.

“I’m home,” Noctis greets, smile crooked and lazy and blue eyes bright. “And I brought someone with me.”

Prompto blinks again, brow furrowing.

Peeking from behind Noctis is a little boy, no older than seven. He’s got mousy hair and wide brown eyes and he’s looking at Prompto with all the curiosity a child can have.

“Prompto, this is Talcott,” Noctis introduces, kicking the luggage so they’d roll in. He crouches next to the boy, elbows on his bent knees and his attention on him. “Talcott, this is Prompto.”

“Hi, Talcott,” Prompto greets, grinning widely. Definitely _not_ a baby. He should get rid of those sippy-cups before Noct sees them and laughs for days….

“Hi,” Talcott says, his smile bashful, fingers busy wringing each other. He turns to Noctis for a second, looking at Prompto from the corner of his eye. “Is that your husband? Like Ignis is to Gladio?”

Noctis chokes, coughing and wheezing and gasping for a bit of air. Prompto would laugh at his expense if it weren’t for the scorching heat taking over his face.

“ _N-no_ ,” Noctis croaks. “No. W-we’re not married. Prompto’s my, uh, boyfriend.”

Talcott blinks at him, innocent and adorable. “Oh.”

“Hey, Talcott,” Prompto cuts in, feeling bad about Noct’s awkward getting pushed to the limit. “How about I show you to your room?”

Talcott’s eyes widen and he nods vigorously. He picks up his backpack and the smallest of the luggage, practically skipping and running and hopping towards Prompto all at the same time.

“It’s a little boring right now,” Prompto says, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “But we can decorate it later.”

“With cactuars and chocobos and moogles and King’s Knight?!”

Prompto throws his head back and laughs, opening the door to a room with a window, a full sized bed, a nightstand, a small bookshelf and a closet. It’s right across his and Noct’s room.

“That sounds like a plan to me!”

“This is gonna be _awesome_ ,” Talcott exclaims, letting Prompto take the luggage and place it up on the bed to be unzipped and unpacked. He listens to Talcott talk about his favorite TV shows and some comic books from the school libraries that Gladio would read to him before bedtime.

He’s a ball of energy, Prompto thinks, his smile softening when the boy hints that he already misses his other adoptive parents. But then he’s back with excitement. Full force. 

Prompto watches him, amusement in his eyes.

He’s never taken care of a kid before and he knows for a fact Noctis hasn't either. But they have a dog! And they keep him clean, take care of him and stuff! Not that Talcott is a  _dog_ or anything but a dog is like a child, almost, right?  _Right_?

How hard can this possibly be?


	2. you gotta choose your own favorite color, talcott

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Look at all this food. I can’t believe this— _no_ , Talcott, you can’t eat yet, we have to take a _picture_.”

Prompto hovers over the coffeemaker, his blond hair still a complete mess from sleep and his focus not entirely at one hundred percent. This is why he likes to go out running in the morning; makes it easier to function when he’s _supposed_ to be functioning!

But this is the third month in which he’s cut Saturdays off from his workout schedule and despite that it’s _not_ any easier. Prompto groans and leans his forehead against the cool surface of the counter, eyes closed and sleep almost, _almost_ convincing him to forget about everything and go back to bed.

“Noct,” he whines, instead. “I can’t get this fancy coffee machine to work.”

Noctis is half asleep on their little kitchen table, upper body sprawled over the empty surface, hair a nest. “Aren’t you a whiz at these things?”

“You _know_ I can’t deal with Tenebraen imports,” Prompto whines, shifting his weight from one leg to the other and only straightening a bit when he feels Noct’s presence next to his.

“You’re the _worst_ in the mornings,” Noct murmurs, lowering down to tinker with the coffeemaker gifted to them by a mutual friend. The fact that _Noctis_ is the one saying this _at someone_ other than _himself_ is left unmentioned; a big chance to tease _lost_.

Prompto leans his head on his folded arms and grins when he smells the coffee and hears the steady drip falling into the clear glass pot. Eyes closed, he doesn’t notice when his boyfriend’s reaching over to pinch and pull at his cheek, the jolt of surprise enough to get him to stand upright and writhe in Noct’s mercy. 

“What was that for!” He aims a punch at Noct’s chest. “I’m a good person, I don’t deserve this.” 

“You just looked so cute,” Noctis snickers, swatting his arm away and ruffling Prompto’s already untamed bedhead. “I couldn’t help myself.”

“You give _kisses_ to cute people, _not_ pain!”

Noctis, despite looking tired and ready for round two of a day of sleeping, rolls his steel-blue eyes and leans close to brush his lips against Prompto’s. 

Naturally, this is when Talcott walks in, a cute yawn escaping him, hands rubbing his eyes and Umbra trailing him like a lovesick puppy. He’s dressed in a onesie with Tonberries printed all over it, his hair is much tamer than Prompto’s or Noct’s but he looks _so adorable_ and Prompto isn’t sure if he wants to shove Noct away and go squish the boy, or squish Noct because _look he’s so adorable_.

“G’mornin’,” Talcott breathes, smiling at them, eyelids drooping as sleep tries to wrestle with him and seems to be in the winning end.

“Hey, buddy,” Prompto greets back, grinning down at him. “Didja brush your teeth?” 

“Mhmm!” Talcott opens his mouth in a toothy grin and Prompto feigns to inspect just how pearly and white each tooth is before he approvingly nods.

“So I’m guessin’ it’s breakfast time, right?” 

“Right!”

Noct groans approvingly, moving back to his perch on the kitchen table and dumping his upper weight over it. “Whaddya want, kid?” 

Talcott looks at Noctis then turns back to Prompto before shyly retreating to his comfort zone: Umbra. For all his excitement and energy, Talcott gets little bursts of shyness, which Prompto finds to be the darn cutest thing ever. Like he’s trying to make himself comfortable but not wanting to overstep, which makes Prompto _sad_ and want to _squish him_.

Hands half dug into Umbra’s dark fur, Talcott says, “What do we have?”

“What do you _want_?” Noct challenges, mouth slanted in a lazy smile.

“On weekends, Ignis would make pancakes and omelets and he even knows how to make _hashbrowns_ from scratch and he would let _me_ sprinkle the salt. Once, I sprinkled too much but Gladdy still ate it anyway. Also, he makes really, _really_ good waffles.”

“ _Wow_ , that sounds _so good_ ,” Prompto breathes out, his mouth watering and his mind only half-wondering if Ignis would adopt him and feed him. “Clearly, this calls for us eating out.”

“Eating out?” both Talcott and Noct ask back, the former asking in excitement while the latter asks with a bit of a whine in his tone. Eating out requires Noct brushing his hair, putting shoes on and _leaving the house._

“Yup.” Prompto sagely nods. “This is our first weekend together. We gotta make it _special_.”

 

* * *

 

Special _clearly_ means waiting for twenty to twenty-five minutes for a table for three, observing with mild amusement as the hostess that walks them to their table blatantly flirts with his boyfriend who doesn’t seem to even notice the eyelash fluttering or the desperate attempt at small talk, and mildly freaking out at the thought of leaving the coffeemaker on just to have said boyfriend roll his eyes and mention he turned it off before leaving the house, no, Prompto, Umbra is _not_ going to die in a fire.

A normal Saturday, honestly, just with the new adoptive son added into the mix.

Prompto sits across Talcott and Noct and watches them both grow engrossed in coloring all the figurines stamped on the children’s menu.

“Excuse you,” Noct playfully mutters, “ _I_ was going for the blue crayon.”

“Yeah but blue’s my favorite color, Noct,” Talcott laughs.

“No way,” Noct wrinkles his nose. “Impossible. You gotta choose something else because blue’s _my_ favorite color and you can’t copy me.”

Prompto snorts at this, reaching over to move Talcott’s orange juice out of the way before it becomes a victim of the boy’s quick and jerky movements.

“Wh—“ Talcott turns to him, his brown eyes wide and his expression something close to desperate. “Prompto, what’s _your_ favorite color?”

“Oh man,” Prompto feigns to look and feel distressed, his blue eyes shifting from left to right and only sparing Talcott a glance or two, brow furrowed, teeth worrying at his lower lip. “This is _so hard_. I can’t choose between green or red.”

“Choose red, choose red,” Talcott coaxes. “So that green can be _my_ favorite color.”

Prompto sighs deeply, as if he’s just sacrificed himself for the greater good. “Okay… Only because you said so.”

After this, Talcott gives Prompto the red crayon and keeps the green one for himself while Noct continues to claim the blue one. They color the rest of the characters littering the menu and Noct and Prompto even start a round of tic-tac-toe before their breakfast actually arrives.

“ _Gods_ ,” Prompto practically moans, looking at his plate and Noct’s plate and Talcott’s plate. “Look at all this food. I can’t believe this— _no_ , Talcott, you can’t eat yet, we have to take a _picture_.” 

“Oh my god,” Noct moans, dropping his head onto his arms and only peeking his eyes out when Prompto begins a countdown.

In the picture, Talcott’s smile is big and bright and only half of Prompto’s face shows up but it works. Their brightness makes up for the messy heap that is Noct, even if he’s cooperating enough to be _looking_ towards the shot.

“I’m sending this to Ignis,” Prompto chirps, setting his phone aside and moving the crayons and children’s menu. “Eat up, buddy. We can take whatever’s left over to Umbra.”

Unsurprisingly, Noctis slips his fruits onto Talcott’s plate and then _insists_ he finishes his fruits up before calling it all quits. Prompto doesn’t say anything, though, but he does kick him a little harder than normal when a lowkey round of footsies starts.

 

* * *

 

It’s raining on Sunday so Prompto has to skip out on his morning runs, much to his and Umbra’s chagrin. He lifts his head off the pillow and sleepily squints in the general direction of their room’s window. He doesn’t really _have_ to, of course, since he can hear the rhythmic thumping of raindrops against the glass and the sound of cars passing over wet pavement.

He groans, dropping his head back down and curling back up to match and fit into the odd curves and angles in which Noct tends to sleep in. Warm, he groggily thinks, digging his face further into the space between Noct’s shoulder blades. Their legs and feet entangle together and like this Prompto falls back asleep.

When he next wakes up, Noct is surprisingly not sleeping next to him and the room is still dark and gray. The door’s half open; enough to give him quiet and privacy. It’s such a Noct thing; it’s gross how adorable he is, ugh, Prompto is disgusted.

Inhaling and exhaling deeply, he quickly goes through his morning routine, ignoring his bedhead in favor of adding a really old sweater, that _probably_ belonged to Noct once upon a time, over his t-shirt and his glasses instead of his usual contacts. Out in the hallway, he hears the very familiar background music only a video game can offer, hears laser guns and other such things that makes him grin as he emerges into the living room.

Noct and Talcott are slouched over the couch, a controller each and their attention on the TV. Umbra is sitting with them, the majority of his body on Noct’s lap while his head rests on Talcott’s.

“Mornin’,” he chirps, leaning over the couch’s back, chin in his hands and glasses slipping down his nose.

“Prompto!” Talcott grins, quickly looking up at him before returning his full attention to the screen and the brawl he seems to be a part of.

“G’morn’n,” Noct drawls, never looking away from the screen. “We ate cereal.”

Prompto rolls his eyes. Of _course_ they did. Noct can’t cook to save his life and firmly believes cereal to be the best option for any meal.

“Coffee?”

“In the pot.”

Prompto leaves to the kitchen and returns, minutes later with a mug of coffee and gallons of milk and sugar added into it and toast with light smears of butter and jam. He drops down on Noct’s side, careful of Umbra’s tail as he folds his legs criss-cross. 

“Where’s Talcott?”

“Bathroom break,” Noct replies, looking up from his cellphone and wrinkling his nose. “Gross.” 

“What?” Prompto pauses from biting into his toast, eyes a little wide.

“You look cute with your glasses on, take them off.” Noct snickers when Prompto shoves at him, leaning closer, close enough to practically lie on top of him. Like this, he steals a big bite of Prompto’s toast, smirking as he pulls away.

“ _Dude_ ,” Prompto whines, reaching with his unoccupied hand and breaking off whatever tiny bits of toasted bread he can grab from in between Noct’s lips. Pouting, he shoves the crumbs into his mouth, fighting the urge to laugh as much as Noct is.

“You are the _grossest_ ,” Noct teases, flicking at the tip of Prompto’s button nose.

“ _You’re_ gross,” Prompto mumbles, mouth half full with food. “Icky.”

“I’m back,” Talcott calls, dumping himself back onto his perch and laughing when Umbra claims his entire lap, since Noct’s too busy flirting with his boyfriend.

“Noct can’t play,” Prompto proclaims, taking Noct’s controller from his hand and rearranging himself to feel comfortable. “He’s rude and gross and _ugh_. So it’s you and me, buddy.”

Talcott doesn’t seem to have a problem with this at all. And the rest of the morning and the majority of the afternoon is well spent with the three of them being couch potatoes, Prompto and Noct taking turns on who gets to lean into who as they play while Talcott has his own problems with a dog that seems to have claimed ownership over him, nose nuzzling into his hand and warm tongue licking at his wrist.

Prompto secretly takes a video of that.

 

* * *

 

Later, after they’ve eaten dinner consisting of takeout and canned sodas, Prompto pops his laptop open and begins to work through his emails, arranging quick meetings and accepting or declining offers. 

Talcott keeps him company, already showered and changed into his pajamas. He’s bent over some worksheets, tip of his tongue poking out as he works through math problems.

Tomorrow’s Monday and though it’s not his _first_ day of school, it will be with him under Prompto and Noct’s care. Considering how Noct works the weekdays, Prompto’s dropping him off and having a quick chat with… Whoever it is he has to talk to.

He supposes that’s something he should _know_ … 

“Prompto?”

Looking up from his laptop’s screen, Prompto blinks at Talcott and jumps in surprise when the boy shoves his worksheet at him.

“Are these right?”

“Huh?” He looks down at the big, round and bumpy numbers. “Well let’s check ‘em out, buddy!”

Setting his laptop aside, he helps Talcott onto his lap and then they begin to work through all the addition and subtraction on the worksheet. Once they do, Prompto helps the boy back down and hands the worksheet back to him.

“Don’t take my word for it though, Talcott! I’d ask Noct over there for another looksies. _He_ works at an _office_.”

Noct, working through his own little last minute things before going into the office the following morning, looks up from his laptop and grins at them, thankful for any sort of distraction. 

Prompto watches Talcott walk over to him and for a long moment he simply watches them go through the same things they did minutes earlier. Noct is a moody loser that prefers sleep and cuddles over anything but then he melts when a kid comes into the picture.

Prompto just finds it cute how he doesn’t even try to hide it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> who's ready for episode prompto BECAUSE I AM.


	3. iGniZ all BuSIN3SS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto's not a regular dad. He's a _cool_ dad.

Noctis walks into the kitchen, his dress shirt half tucked into his slacks and his hands fumbling with his tie. He still looks half asleep despite having showered, hair damp and messier than usual. He’s pouting as he stops right in front of Prompto and his pan of scrambled eggs.

“I can’t,” he just about whines, his head cocked back, thrusting his chest in Prompto’s direction.

“Jeez,” he laughs, moving the pan of eggs aside and setting another one to cook up more bacon than should be legal. “You _know_ I can’t, either, dude.”

Yet he grabs both ends to the tie and adjusts it around the collar of the dark shirt. It’s the most he can do, he knows, but he tries to make a neat knot anyway. And, seriously, it’s better than anything Noct’s done, despite having this job since he’s graduated university and worn ties every day of it.

But as soon as Prompto lets go of the blasted thing, it comes undone to lie limply around Noct’s neck. Pressing his lips together, Prompto pulls the offensive thing off his boyfriend and flings it onto the small kitchen table. Noct, of course, is just about to protest this when Prompto begins to adjust his collar again, unbuttoning one of the top buttons and smoothing the shirt up across his shoulders and chest. 

“Go like this,” he tells him, leaning back a bit to inspect him. “It’s way better.”

“Do I look hot?” Noct asks, his voice an amused drawl that shows off he’s teasing.

Prompto raises an eyebrow and lightly punches at his shoulder. “I mean, I don’t know _who_ you’re tryna go all hot for, but yeah?”

“Loser,” he scoffs, dipping down to press kisses up his jaw, both ignoring the sizzle of the bacon cooking up behind them.

“Noct,” Prompto snorts, shoulders hunching from the tickling sensation he feels of his boyfriend lavishing dumb, lazy kisses near the sensitive skin around his neck and ear. “Stop being gross and go check on Talcott.”

Noctis hums, resting his head on Prompto’s shoulder and burying his face into his neck. “Don’t want. Don’t wanna work either.”

“The biggest baby to ever exist,” Prompto sighs. “You’re worse than a kid—you better not show your bad habits to Talcott.”

“Tch,” Noct pulls away, his eyes squinted and his expression absurdly adorable. “I’m the perfect role model here, what are you even talking about?”

Prompto rolls his eyes and backhands his ass as they both pull away from each other. Noct disappears to find Talcott and Prompto returns to the breakfast he’s making.

When Noct returns, it’s with their adoptive son trailing behind him, yawning into a hand, his mousy hair sticking up and his freckled face scrunched up. Umbra’s close behind, walking to his bowls and inspecting the food there before returning to see if he can get any of the good stuff.

“Hey!” Prompto grins at them from over his shoulder, stuffing the toaster with wheat bread for toast. Noct’s diet is a complete mess but he’ll be damned if he lets Talcott’s go to shit too. “Mornin’, sleepyhead. You ready for school?”

Talcott sits on his spot across from Prompto’s empty chair. Noct’s sitting at his usual place too, leaning his back against the wall and sliding one of the glasses of orange juices to him. 

“Mhmm,” Talcott sleepily hums. “Hungry.”

“I bet. S’not like our fancy weekend breakfast, but it’s better than Noct’s stuff, I promise.” 

“ _Listen_ ,” Noct retorts, shooting his boyfriend a look of betrayal. He quickly turns to Talcott. “Don’t get used to this, Talcott. Prompto rarely cooks this early, anyway. S’just gonna be cereal or some quick stuff from a coffee shop after this.”

“ _Hey_!” Prompto points the greasy fork he’s using to cook the bacon. “I so _do_ cook! You’re just always running late because you sleep in!” 

Noctis rolls his eyes and grins at Talcott who’s snickering at their back and forth.

Prompto turns away with a grin, fighting back a yawn as he serves up some of the scrambled eggs onto three different plates. The bacon follows after and he stacks the toasted wheat bread onto a smaller plate that he sets at the center for them to grab as much as they’d like.

After their decent breakfast, Talcott scurries back to his room to change out of his pajamas, Umbra scurrying off after him but not before accepting some of the bacon Noct tosses his way.

“We spoil that dog way too much,” Prompto laughs, watching Umbra practically inhale the meat before dashing after his new favorite person.

“S’my boy,” Noct drawls, standing up and stacking the plates up. He looks at the goofy clock Prompto’s hung right over the kitchen table. “I should get going or I’ll catch traffic…” He turns back to him. “So you think you’ll do good talking with Talcott’s teacher and stuff?”

Prompto shrugs a shoulder, tipping his chair back. “How bad can it be? It’s probably just gonna be some paper work and stuff. Change his parental numbers on his emergency cards. No biggie.”

“Hmm,” Noct hums. “I guess so. Bet Iggy’s already talked to them a bit to make it all easier…. Anyway, I’ll call you on my break.”

“You’re _so_ romantic.” Prompto sighs dramatically, batting his eyelashes.

“Alright, sassmaster, just for that you don’t get a goodbye kiss.” Noct ruffles Prompto’s already messy hair, pulling at it for a bit before he exits the kitchen with a chuckle.

 

* * *

 

The ride from their apartment to school isn’t very eventful. Talcott’s buckled in on his booster seat, staring out the window while Prompto drives with a hand on the steering wheel and the other fiddles with the radio.

If Noctis and Prompto have two cars it’s because of Noct’s dad. Once he found out Prompto kind of commuted to meet with potential clients and the sort because Noct leaving the car to him has always been out of the question, Regis surprised (and even now it’s the biggest understatement _ever_ ) them with a second car. An Audi that’s so beautiful and probably worth more than Prompto.

He’s long convinced Noct to drive that one while Prompto stuck with their less lustrous Sedan. Less lustrous only because it doesn’t compare to the Audi, of course. The Sedan is _special_ because he and Noct earned up money for her together. 

“Hey, buddy, wha’cha wanna listen to?”

Talcott looks at him, his hair gelled and stylized to look cool because Prompto is just a _cool dad_. “Um, I don’t know… Something nice.”

Prompto laughs a bit, slowly nodding his head. “I guess I can try and find something like that…” He uses the chance a red light gives him and attaches his phone to the aux cord. A second later, pop music plays.

The rest of the ride’s as uneventful as it had began. Talcott’s an excited boy that can talk nonstop if allowed to but apparently he’s not a morning person. Or a school person. That’d explain his dampened mood, eyes heavy-lidded despite his shy little swaying to the bouncy music.

At the school’s parking lot, Prompto stares at all the _children_. Man, there’s so many—who let them _out_? He watches a tiny little one scurry off with little legs, only stopping because their mom sounds annoyed. There are groups of kids walking too; friends and cliques—jeez, they start young nowadays.

Talcott walks next to him, his backpack slung over his shoulders, his hoodie unzipped and his sneakers dragging against the concrete. He looks at everyone for a second before returning his attention to the front. He’s shy, Prompto notes, fighting back a grin. Who would’ve thought? Kid could’ve fooled him for a social butterfly.

“Alright, kiddo,” Prompto starts as they reach the entrance to the elementary school. “Looks like here’s where we split up.”

“’kay,” Talcott nods, fighting back a yawn. “Are you gonna pick me up?”

“Yup.”

“C-can we go to Takka’s after school?” Talcott asks, his tanned cheeks suddenly pink and his brown eyes on the ground.

Prompto snorts and fights back the urge to ruffle the kid’s hair. “Sure!” The bell starts to ring, loud and mind-jarring this early in the morning. Prompto’s twenty-five and he does _not_ miss that damn noise one bit. “Okay, bud, I’ll see you later, yeah? Wait for me here after school.”

“Okay,” Talcott nods, turning away from him. “Bye, Prompto!”

Prompto watches him go before heading towards the office.

Here’s the tricky part because Prompto’s not a _real_ outgoing person, or, like, social. He’s not even a butterfly. He’s probably a frog or something. _Anyway_ , despite him being the one to talk more out of him and Noctis, he’s not too far behind in the awkward train and he tends to ramble when nervous and _man_ sometimes he says things he probably shouldn’t. Or the phrasing doesn’t help him.

The point of the matter is he really hopes he doesn’t fuck up because he has to impress these people.

But, like… What if they ask his label? What does he answer? Is he Talcott’s new legal guardian or his new adoptive dad? What’s the truth here? 

He should’ve asked Noct, really.

“Good morning,” greets the secretary, smiling at him with a smile that’s too bright for eight-thirty in the morning and a tone that’s too cheery as well. “How may I help you?”

Prompto gives an awkward wave, thin lips twitching as he tries to smile. “Hi… I’m here to talk to… someone…? About Talcott. Talcott Hester.”

The secretary blinks before she nods and smiles again, moving around in her wheeled chair. “Is he leaving? School’s just getting started, they’re probably still in the yard for morning circles and all.”

“No—no not…” Prompto presses his lips together and drums his fingers to his thighs. “I gotta make sure his papers have been changed. He’s under new guardianship.”

“Oh!” The woman laughs a bit and nods. “Okay, then! You’ll have to fill out all the… forms. Give me one second,” she moves around again. Then, she hands him about four papers and an emergency card. “Here we are!”

Prompto groans a bit and manages a smile back. “Thanks.” 

Good thing it was him that came for this first day. If Noct’d been handed these papers, he’d turn around and run away. Especially with questions like ‘allergies?’ or ‘primary doctor’.

He pulls his cellphone out and looks at the time, estimating what time it’d be in Altissia before unlocking the device and ringing Ignis up. 

Prompto’s not too familiar with Noct’s once-coworkers; like, sure, they bonded at some work parties and whatnot and they saw each other whenever he and Noct went out with them in double-dates-but-not-double-dates. But it’s a good thing they exchanged contacts that one time, drunk as they’d been. Or, well, Prompto had been. It’d explain why he saved him under ‘iGniZ all BuSIN3SS’.

“ _Prompto_?”

“Hey, Iggy!” Prompto fumbles with the phone, holding it against his ear with his shoulder. He spares the secretary a glance but is relieved that she’s busy, handling a phone call Prompto doesn’t remember hearing. “How’s Altissia?” 

“ _Humid_ ,” Ignis sighs and Prompto knows enough of the man to envision him adjusting his glasses, probably dabbing at the perspiration on his forehead with a handkerchief. “ _How about yourself?”_

“Oh! Everything’s okay!” He imagines Ignis relaxing; maybe he assumed something happened to Talcott. “Y’know how Insomnia is. Listen, s’just that I’m at Talcott’s school changing his papers and stuff?”

“ _Ah, yes,_ ” Ignis says.

“He doesn’t have allergies, right?”

“ _Mmm, no,”_ Ignis murmurs. “ _Pollen gives him a bit of a rash in the spring. Nothing critical, of course. Over the counter allergy medicine will help with that.”_

Prompto blinks for a second before he grabs a piece of scrap paper and messily scrawls this information down. He should put it into his phone so he won’t forget and the thing’s already like a diary for him. Excessive amount of pictures, obnoxious amount of notes with silly information, proverbs and half-finished things. His calendar’s filled with information and events—his phone’s his life, really.

“Gotcha,” Prompto mutters distractedly as he moves to fill up the appropriate space on the emergency card. “And his doctor’s name?”

This goes on for the next ten minutes, Ignis helping him fill up the important stuff and apologizing for being unable to contact him and Noct to exchange all of this beforehand. But Prompto totally gets it—moving all the way to Altissia’s probably gonna require a lot of adjusting, despite being full out adults. And this is only day four, so. 

“ _There’s a packet with information I meant to give you both; his health insurance among other things. But well. Our leave wasn’t as clean as I’d planned it to be with such short amount of time to prepare,”_ Ignis says. “ _I’ll phone Iris and have her drop it by_.”

“Thanks, Iggy,” Prompto says grinning as he drums the pen onto the table. “And don’t worry about Talcott, he’s in good hands. Mostly. Umbra’ll probably destroy me or Noct if we ever mess up.”

“I’m glad the dog will keep you both in line,” Ignis chuckles. “Are you free this weekend? I’d like to set up a video chat and I’m sure Gladio’s itching to see him.” 

Prompto grins. “Yeah! We’ll be home.”

“ _Wonderful.”_ There’s a bit of shuffling and Prompto looks down at the spaces he still hasn’t filled out. Particularly the table asking for all emergency contacts and their relationship to the student in question. “ _I must let you go now, Prompto. Thank you for calling_.”

“See ya!” 

After hanging up, Prompto inhales softly before beginning.

First contact he writes is himself: Prompto Argentum. Mostly because his schedule’s always been a lot more flexible than Noct’s, despite him being able to leave the office whenever he feels like, considering he’s the son of the Big Guy of the business. Still, it’s safer like this.

Relationship to student?

Shit, well… Maybe he should’ve asked Ignis this.

But to be safe he writes _legal guardian_. Just because that’s how the legal forms and the system has it now. 

After, Prompto adds Noctis Caelum and _legal guardian_ after that, too. And for the third, he adds: Regis Caelum. But after that he kind of blanches out and moves to fill out all the other papers instead.

 

* * *

 

 Prompto’s editing some pictures from a client’s birthday party when Noctis calls him. He has his Bluetooth set up so he easily answers, his hands still at work.

“I am so stressed out,” he greets his boyfriend.

“ _Was it that bad? Or, like, are you working on something right now?”_

Prompto listens to the distinguishable sound of something being unwrapped. He wonders what greasy food Noct’s got his hands on today. Noctis always calls him during his break; it’s something that sorta turned into routine, or, better said, tradition. They kinda just catch up on the little things, exchange gossip of people they don’t know other than by name and sometimes spontaneously set up dates for the evening. Movie night or dinner or something.

“Just some editing. But I meant with the whole school thing,” Prompto says. “I had to call Iggy to make sure I got everything that’s necessary. Had to ask for a second emergency card to rewrite it all which was _embarrassing_.”

Noct snorts on the other line.

“Hey, rude,” Prompto whines. “Anyway, Ignis says he actually has some stuff he meant to give us but didn’t get the chance to. Says he’ll have Iris give it to us. Man, I can’t believe how fast they had to leave like that. I bet they barely got the chance to run around to file the legal papers over the custody, huh?”

“ _Mmm, yeah_ ,” Noct yawns. “ _I mean, it’s more because of mailing and stuff. Anyway, whatever. We know he’s ours now too so who cares?”_

“Noct,” Prompto coos. “That’s so _cute_.”

“ _Gross_.”

“I did meet the principal, though. Nice lady.” There’s shuffling on the other line again. “Hey, wha’cha eating?”

“ _A burger_ ,” Noct confesses. “ _I got a big craving for one when I saw Cor pass by with a bag from the Crow’s nest_.”

“Should’a known. Talcott asked if we can go to Takka’s after school.”

“ _Lucky_ ,” Noct childishly whines. “ _I love Takka’s_.”

“D’you want me to bring you something back? It’ll be cold by the time you get home but, like…?” 

“ _Mmm, nah. I’ll just grab something on the way there. Might see Luna but I’m thinking of cancelling and saving it for the weekend?”_

“I love her.” 

“ _Dude_.”

Prompto laughs, never getting tired of Noct’s reaction to Prompto’s mushy feelings for Lunafreya, Noct’s oldest friend. But, like, she’s so _nice_ and _pretty_ and how can he _not_ adore her?! 

“ _Gotta go,”_ Noctis manages through a mouthful. _“I promised Dad I’d help him with some papers. See you tonight_.”

“Oooh, dirty.” 

“ _Prompto you_ loser,” Noct chokes but laughs nonetheless.

 

* * *

 

He’s already waiting for Talcott when the last school bell rings and children of all sizes run out the doors, chaperones calling out to them to slow down. Prompto’s leaning against the Sedan, arms crossed in front of his chest as he tries to pick out his boy through all the others. 

Talcott waves at him, wide and open as he parts from a friend and runs towards him.

“Hi, Prompto!” He’s all grin and wide eyes, much more awake than earlier.

“Hey, buddy! How was school?”

“S’okay. We had to read and I got picked to read,” he explains, shrugging his backpack off and handing it to Prompto’s awaiting hand.

“Aw, that’s cool,” Prompto tells him. “Didja remember to hand your homework in?” 

“Mhmm!”

“And you got your homework for tonight?”

“Mhmm!”

Prompto nods approvingly. “Awesome.”

“Hey, Talcott?”

They both turn just as Talcott’s beginning to climb onto the car. There’s a couple of kids there, not too close since the chaperones keep calling out to them. They’re eying Prompto with open curiosity.

“Who’s he, Talcott?” one of them asks.

Talcott blinks and looks up at Prompto before turning back to them, jabbing a thumb in Prompto’s direction. “He’s Prompto.”

They’re quiet, waiting for more. Little nosey, Prompto thinks but doesn’t say a word.

“I’m living with him and Noctis now,” Talcott explains. “Because Ignis and Gladio had to leave.”

“Ohhh,” they say, satisfied with the information and dispersing just as a chaperone threatens to approach them.

They leave after and this time Talcott sings along with the pop music Prompto plays for them as he drives to Takka’s Diner. When they get there, Prompto entertains a nice, thick strawberry shake while Talcott munches on nuggets and fries.

He’s got his homework out and Prompto overlooks whatever the kid asks about, double checking the math and fist bumping him when he’s got his subtraction down as good as it can get.

Talcott’s a pretty happy kid despite being so shy so Prompto isn’t surprised that he’s talking so much at the moment. He likes listening to him, actually; pays close attention to stuff like his adoration for cactuars and asking if they can play video games when they get home.

Prompto thinks there’s gotta be some boundaries and stuff to set because as much of a cool dad that he is, maybe it shouldn’t be okay to play video games on a school night? But the mere thought is icky—who _cares_ if it’s a school night? And he’s doing his homework now anyway, right? 

“Sure,” he agrees, grinning. “But don’t whine when I beat ya!”

“Noct says you suck,” Talcott mentions, blinking innocently.

“Yeah, well Noct sucks too,” Prompto scoffs, double-entendre ignored.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm trying real hard not to turn this into 'how often will talcott accidentally cockblock his new dads'. im not even talking abt smut im talking abt them being all kissy kissy cuddles and then talcott appears and byump they jump apart. im cackling at the thought.
> 
> anyway i wont do that. OR WILL I
> 
> thanks for all the comments and stuff! if ya wanna hang, catch me on twitter @marsipans u////u


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